Amaranth
by Candied Snowflakes
Summary: What would you do if there's a girl in front of you, whose blood can grant you magical powers? Would you protect her? Keep her for your own benefit? Or kill her?
1. Prologue

Darkness slowly crept Forget-Me-Not Valley as thick, heavy clouds dominated the sky, hiding the brilliant shine of the moon and the stars behind them. The night grew cold, and the wind rushed in different directions, creating a howling sound that brought the small animals and insects running to their abode, frightened.

The dark clouds, as if they saw the alarmed creatures running around frantically, frightened the creatures more by releasing flashes of lightning which were followed by roaring thunders, expressing the clouds' heinous laughter.

A perfect day, or rather night, for the lady who sits in front of the pond. Her long, black, curly hair blends perfectly with the darkness surrounding her. Her smooth, pale skin was full of bruises, cuts, and dirt. Her plain, white linen dress was tattered and stained with ashes, mud, and a bit of blood from her cuts. Her small right hand clutched tightly to a group of grass beside the pond and her other hand is placed on her lap.

Another lightning flashed across the dark sky and heavy rainfall followed, yet this lady did not even flinch after a thunder boomed from the sky. Not affected by the cold pouring rain nor the haunting darkness around her, she stayed there, her head hung low, letting the rain to cover her tears.

* * *

_"Her hair is black and her eyes are bright red. She's no human, she's a monster! A monster, I tell you!"_

_"Those blood eyes, she's worse than a monster. She's a vampire!"_

_"A vampire! That makes sense because her skin's so pale. We're in danger!"_

_"She only leaves her house at night. She wants to kill us while we sleep!"_

_"We have to chase her away! She's dangerous!"_

_"Kill her! We need to kill her before she kills us and drink our blood!"_

_The black-haired lady, the one being talked about in the restaurant that evening, was horrified by what she had heard through that building's door. They're planning to kill her. That very moment, she hurriedly packed her things and left that village._

_Haunted by the same prejudice everywhere she goes, she wandered endlessly, arriving in every town and being chased away because of her appearance. Her belongings, if not burned by some village guards, are stolen from her or torn by wild animals when she roamed the forests._

_She did not left a place where she's not being slapped by the men, whipped by the women, and stoned by the children. Three months of going-here-and-being-driven-away-there, she continued to wander a certain forest without direction, with shoe-less feet and empty stomach._

_It was dark when she set foot on a beautiful valley. She saw blooming fields of healthy crops. Afraid of the thought that she might steal some of these crops because of hunger, she ran with her eyes closed until she crossed a bridge._

_Seeing three different paths in front of her, she chose to take up the path on her right and continued to run. Now, she set her eyes on a beautiful pond, with an enormous tree beside it. 'No one might drive me away here', she thought after remembering that she haven't seen any single human yet in this place._

_The pond glows beautifully, surrounded by flower-like plants that glowed a bluish-green light. Feeling exhausted from her running, and because she was tired from her long miserable adventure, she sat in front of that pond. After inhaling some sweet air, she started crying. The nature, having no other way to show its sympathy, shed her tears together with the poor girl._

* * *

A man who usually visits that pond did not expect the rain to fall tonight, yet he continued on his tracks. He have to think of a plan tonight. The pond area is his favorite place to plan his clever schemes. And since it's raining, he'll just stay under the big tree in front of the pond. He chuckled lightly as he thought the work that he had done so far. He haven't 'perfected' his curry recipe yet, but he know that he's so close to do so. He can't afford to fail, now that he had come this close.

He was surprised, or alarmed to be exact, to see a girl there. It's already midnight, everyone in the valley should be sleeping now. 'Why would a girl be out here alone at this time and at this rain?' he thought. Nevertheless, he approached the girl, thinking that he might squeeze some information from her while he's at it.

He was several feet away from the girl, yet the lady seemed to be unaware of his presence. That's when the man noticed the girl's body is trembling. He immediately approached the girl, but she collapsed on the ground before he does.

He take the girl's body on his lap, shaking her in attempt to wake her up. Looking at her closely, he saw that this girl is in terrible condition. He can see the painful expression across the girl's face, yet he can still observe the beauty that this girl have. Despite of the deep cuts and bruises on her face, her skin looks pale and smooth. She looks like an expensive doll with her beautiful black hair.

He was mesmerized by this beauty in front of her, but he was brought out of his trance when he noticed the girl's unsteady breathing. For some reason, he hurriedly carried her to the only mansion in the valley. He doesn't know why he rushed to the mansion when he knows that going to the doctor is a better idea, but since he's already there he just moved on and banged the large door repeatedly.

He heard some noises inside and saw light peeking through the spaces between the doors. He placed the girl carefully on the mansion's doorsteps and caressed her cheek lightly. After he swiftly fled and disappeared in the darkness, the mansion doors burst open.

* * *

The rich old woman stood aghast at the sight of a dead girl in front of her mansion. She immediately called her butler, and together they brought her inside. The old woman's thoughts was filled with horror thinking that she will be accused of murder. The old woman looked closely at the face of this girl. After seeing that the girl's eyes twitched slightly, she was relieved that the person's still alive.

That night, they brought the girl to one of their guest room and tended her there to life.

* * *

**_Hello! Thanks for reading the prologue for my first story ever. This story features most characters from HM DS Cute (and from other HM games as well). I love HM games, though I've only played some of the series (and didn't managed to finish them for some reasons). I'm new to FanFiction so there's a lot of things that I don't know around here. I hope you'll like this. I'll update in two or three days, or even in a week. Bye, and thank you again! _**


	2. Blood Red

**I do not own Harvest Moon.**

* * *

The wind blew lazily the essence of autumn for the day; orange leaves danced blissfully as the crisp wind passed through. The afternoon sun shone its gentle glory to the peaceful valley of Forget-Me-Not. Everything in the valley is peaceful, especially on the northwest corner of the town where an exquisite villa stood. It was said that the mansion there is as old as the valley itself, but if you take a close look at it, it doesn't show any signs of decrepitude.

Its walls are made up of rare golden lumber, with beautiful glass windows decorating it. The wide doors, designed with elegant curves, are always open for visitors. Just above the door is a rounded jetty with long, vertical glass windows. With its orange roof, the mansion glows warmly every time the sun smiles at it.

The garden in front of the mansion adds to the homely warmth of the villa. A cobblestone path encircles the fountain, which lies at the center of the garden. Brick planters, where the flower-of-the-season is being planted, are arranged neatly at both sides. There's also an unused stone shed at the left side of the mansion.

Iron wrought fences enclose the villa, but instead of iron gates, two stone pillars stood at the entrance. Many trees grew around the villa, and as the seasons come and go, they're leaves also changes depending on its respective season.

From time to time, a beautiful melody coming from a piano can be heard there. And once it was heard, every living thing around the mansion becomes still, letting that melody to take domain in the air.

Just like this afternoon, a soft melody dances through the autumn air. The tress stopped swaying, the flowers paused their whispering, and the birds silenced their chirping.

Inside the mansion, a lady with black hair sat in front of the grand piano, her small and thin fingers shifted gracefully to and fro the keys. With her eyes closed, her head gently swayed with the melody she produced. On the opposite side of the piano, an old woman and a little girl sat contentedly on the couch.

"Don't you think she's getting better, Kate?" asked the old woman to the girl beside her.

"She's awesome, Romana!" exclaimed the girl. "But, Ellia just learned how to play that last week, didn't she?"

"Yes. And now she does it like she's been playing the pianoforte for a long time," the old woman said thoughtfully. "It's actually strange."

"She lost some of her memories, right? Maybe she used to play the piano."

"That might be," the old woman nodded to the girl. "That might be."

Ellia, unaware of their conversation, stopped for a moment and played another tune. This time, she opened her mouth slightly and take in a small breath.

Kate gasped and clasped her hands together. "She's gonna sing!" she said excitedly.

Just like what the little girl said, the black-haired lady started singing.

_"Every time you kissed me_

_I trembled like a child_

_Gathering the roses_

_We sang for the hope"_

The old woman perked up her ears to listen at lady's voice. The voice was gentle and soft, but it holds something more. She glanced at the little girl with gleaming eyes beside her. Kids can't reciprocate feelings from voices, yet, she thought. The old woman continued to listen carefully.

_"Your very voice is in my heartbeat_

_Sweeter than my dream_

_We were there, in everlasting bloom"_

This song holds a painful mixture of happiness and sadness. As the old woman listened, she started to picture in her mind a sweet little child with a red ribbon tied on both her wrists running happily around the green grasses, sniffing every wild flower she passes.

_"Roses die,_

_The secret is inside the pain_

_Winds are high up on the hill_

_I cannot hear you"_

But then, everything around the child turned gray. The green grasses, the butterflies, and the once colorful flowers were now ash-gray. The child was horrified; everything around her darkened, even the blue skies above became slate in front of her eyes. The child called out frantically, but no voice came out from her small mouth. The child continued to run in the vast field going to nowhere.

_"Come and hold me close_

_I'm shivering cold in the heart of rain_

_Darkness falls, I'm calling for the dawn"_

The child stopped on her tracks and fall to the ground. She sobbed uncontrollably as tears continually form in her eyes. The clouded sun begun to set, making the child's surroundings darker. The child breathed heavily as she watch the gray skies being stained black. She hoped for the stars to come out soon, but none sparkled in the empty skies.

_"Silver dishes for the memories,_

_For the days gone by_

_Singing for the promises_

_Tomorrow may bring"_

The poor child continued to sob in her small palms. And soon after, it started raining. Heavy rain drops pounded on the child's shivering body. The child lifted her head again to look up in the sky, hoping to find something. That's when she saw red clouds above, pouring red drops of water instead of clear drops. It was raining blood.

_"I harbor all the old affection_

_Roses are the past_

_Darkness falls, and summer will be gone"_

The child was terrified when she saw dead bodies all around, which were being drenched by the blood-drops coming from the sky. The child trembled as she tried to stand on her foot. Total horror was written on the child's face. She hugged her trembling body tightly and shut her eyes closed, muttering some inaudible words to herself.

_"Joys of the daylight"_

Then, a boy with a light-blonde hair and blue eyes appeared several feet away from the child. The boy, who was few years older than the child, smiled softly at her.

_"Shadows of the starlight"_

The child abruptly ran to him. The boy hugged her, letting the child to cry in his arms. It was then the boy produced a knife in his hand, preparing to thrust it in the child's back.

_"Everything was-"_

"Ellia!" the old woman cried. The vision disappeared from her mind and she was once again in her mansion.

The black-haired lady urgently stopped when she heard her name. She turned her attention to the old woman at the opposite side. When the lady saw tears coming from the old woman's eyes, she hurriedly ran to her aid.

"Romana, what's wrong?" asked Ellia, who's now at her side.

"My-my arm!" cried Kate, gasping for air.

Romana, who's been gripping the little girl's arm beside her the whole time she saw that vision, let the arm go before saying a quick apology. It was then she noticed the black-haired lady with worried eyes at her other side.

"It's nothing, Ellia. I just saw… something," said the old woman while wiping her tears away. "Why won't you walk little Kate home."

Kate, who was rubbing her squeezed arm, beamed excitedly on the black-haired lady.

"Let's go, Kate." Ellia smiled to the little girl. Kate ran to Ellia excitedly and clutched the black-haired lady's hand. The two ladies headed to the door and left.

The old woman glanced worriedly outside the window perpendicular to her. She contemplated the vision she saw earlier. It seemed so real as if she was witnessing the event herself. The thing that disturbed her more was the child there. It looked exactly like Ellia—black hair, ruby eyes, pale face—though the child in her vision was much younger. The old woman pondered what that vision might mean, and who was that boy who planned to kill the younger Ellia?

The old woman was brought out of her thoughts when her butler emerged from the kitchen and ran to her.

"What's the matter, Sebastian?" inquired the old woman.

"Ms. Romana," replied the butler, panting. "It's a note from Phantom Skye."

* * *

_**Here's the first chapter! I hope you like this one, too. Thank you for the viewing/reading my story, guys. It made me happy.**_

_**The title of the song in this chapter is "Every Time You Kissed Me" a soundtrack from the anime **_**Pandora Hearts. ****_Since I didn't write the full song in this chapter, you might want to hear the full version. It's good, though a bit sad._**


	3. Dropped

_**Here you go, the second chapter. It's very short, but I still hope you'll like it. Thank you for reading/viewing my story.**_

_**The cover image is not mine, I just found it in Google. It's a portrait of Lacie Baskerville, a character from **_**Pandora Hearts (Manga)_. That is how Ellia, my OC, looked like, except that Ellia's hair is curly._**

_**And for the Guest who gave a review: wow! I also don't know how to describe this story, actually. You're so kind to drop a review. Hehe.**_

* * *

There are times when you look around Romana's villa, mumbling sounds coming from the unused shed can be heard. Some of the visitors who heard those mumbling tried to inspect that shed, but every time they open the door, the shed was empty. When they asked Romana about it, the old woman just laughed it off told them and that it might be some Harvest Sprites playing there or ghosts having their spooky meeting.

It is true that that shed is empty, well, for ordinary people. If you're someone who hold some special ability, you can actually see that there is more than an empty space there.

Actually, that 'unused' shed is where the Witch lives. She somehow put a magical spell there to prevent people from trespassing her place, which works for most people. Yes, most.

* * *

"So, why is _the prince of the stars_ here? You know you can't steal from me," the witch, who is reading several books on her desk, asked irritably.

"Hehe. I'm smart enough not to steal from you," replied the silver-haired man in a playful tone. "And I'm here to ask if you know anything about this."

The silver-haired man held a drop-shaped, red gem between his thumb and forefinger. The witch rushed to the man and inspected the gem carefully.

"This is not a gem, it's-" the witch paused for a moment. She took her handkerchief from her pocket and used it to secure the object in her hand. She sat back on her chair and placed the object on her desk. The witch sprinkled some kind of powder on it and studied it carefully.

The silver-haired man thought that the witch was acting strangely. She would usually make an object float towards her than take it with her own hands. Furthermore, she's not moving with her broomstick like she usually does.

"This is not a gem," she repeated with a serious tone. "It's blood."

The silver-haired man was surprised for a moment, and then he laughed. "Hehe. That's kinda-"

"Where did you get it?" the witch inquired with the same tone, her eyes still on the object.

The silver-haired man, after concluding that the witch was not joking, straightened out. "The girl I carried to the mansion several weeks ago dropped that. Ever since I had that thing, I'm having weird dreams every day."

"Does she have black hair?"

"Yes."

"Pale skin?"

"Yes."

"Red eyes?"

"I don't know. She was unconscious when I carried her."

"Bring her here."

"…Huh? Sorry, I _borrow_ things, not people. And I have an important business to do later."

"Listen, you thief," the witch glared at the silver-haired man. "This is a very serious problem—_more _serious than your curry problems. Now, if you want to know _everything_ about this gem of yours, you have to bring the girl here."

The silver-haired man sighed heavily. He just wanted to ask if that 'blood' causes his odd dreams, yet things to end this way. Nonetheless, he headed to the door and left to do his 'task' given by the witch.

Finally having her peace, the witch focused her eyes on the red object again. "If I remember correctly, that girl should be dead," the witch mumbled, deep in thought. "Such a tragic death."

Several memories passed through the witch's head—sweet, sad, and painful memories. She felt a twinge of guilt as she remembered those times, regretting that she haven't done anything to save her precious friend.


	4. Phantom of the Valley

_**It's another short chapter, sorry. But don't worry, the next chapters will be longer. **_

_**And also, I've changed my pen name for privacy reasons.**_

* * *

Night have fallen in the valley of Forget-Me-Not. Nocturnal creatures started their nightly adventure, and among those nocturnal creatures, a certain silver-haired man is included. The said man hid behind the tree near the witch's house. He's observing the front room of the mansion, where three people—an old woman, an old butler, and a young lady—were talking at each other.

They might have read his note already, and now they're planning to catch him. The silver-haired man chuckled to himself. He has been _borrowing _around this valley for two years, yet no one managed to capture him. That made him feel so… cool, although the reason why no one has caught him yet is the fact that he has magical abilities.

Using his magic, he can break through any locked doors easily, move around without making any noise, make himself invisible for a short time, run in unimaginable speed, and even paralyze people—which only works for the opposite gender. He has limitations, though: he can only use magic under the full moon.

But the most intriguing thing about him is that no one can actually recognize him under the full moon. If someone saw him during a full moon, that person can see him, but his appearance won't register in that person's mind. The person can only remember that he saw a man, but the person will not recall his appearance. That's why this silver-haired man calls himself "Phantom Skye."

Now, this phantom walked slowly to the mansion's side door, which leads to the kitchen. Not bothering to make himself invisible, he entered that door. But he's not here to steal, orin his term, _borrow_. He has to find the girl he brought here before and bring it to the witch.

His eyes searched the room he was in and found another door. He mumbled some words and in split seconds, he blended with the air, making himself invisible. He opened the other door that leads to the hallway. Disregarding the people talking in the lounge, he searched for a certain black-haired girl.

He began his search upstairs, but he didn't see any trace of black hair in any room there. He continued his hunt downstairs, but still no black hair in sight. He had walked past the grand piano in the lounge when his invisibility spell wore off. Seems like things won't go smoothly as he expected tonight.

* * *

"I hope Romana won't be angry at me again for going back this late," the black-haired lady sighed as she walked down the stone path that leads to the villa.

She stopped between the entrance pillars of the villa when she noticed a silver-haired man standing near the fountain. That man turned to her direction and smiled at her.

"Hehe." So you were here, huh? I was worried when I can't find you in the mansion," the silver-haired man said as he approached her.

Ellia blinked several times in confusion. "You were looking for me?"

"Hehe." the silver-haired man chuckled. "You can call me Skye."

Ellia blinked again. "Oh. Okay," the girl smiled back. Few seconds later, Ellia saw Lumina, Romana's granddaughter, catching her breath beside the fountain.

"Lumina?" Ellia called. She was about to go towards Lumina when Skye gripped her arm. And before she knew it, Skye was carrying her in his arms.

"Hehe. Sorry, beautiful, but you'll go with me tonight," the silver-haired man whispered in her ear.

Before she could protest, her vision began to black out, and the last thing she saw was a blood-stained hand reaching out to her.

* * *

_**Sorry if my style of writing is kind of messy, because you know, this is the first story I've ever written. So, please bear with me (if you want to). Thanks for reading! **_

_**And you might want to drop a review. I'll be happy if you would.**_


	5. First Fragment

In the middle of the witch's house sat a big cauldron, which she uses for creating potions or sometimes, objects. But this cauldron can also be used to communicate with her fellow witches if the one she wants to contact also has a cauldron. At the moment, she is connecting to a certain alchemist.

A thick smoke is floating just above the mouth of her cauldron, and on that smoke appeared an image of another girl with curly, pink hair and red eyes.

"Hellooo! What can The Oracle do for youu?" the alchemist greeted while waving her one hand briskly. But when the pink-haired girl noticed the witch in front of her, she suddenly pouted. "Eh? It's just the Witch Princess. I thought I have a new costumer."

"Ulyssa, can I ask you something?" the witch asked with unusual sadness in her voice, which surprised the alchemist. "Alice… Alice is… dead right?"

The alchemist frown at that question. Recalling what happened that time sent a pang of guilt in her chest. "You… know it better than I do." Tears started to fall from her eyes.

"I know. I just… Someone brought me a drop of Amaranth blood and… I just… don't want to hope and… get disappointed."

The alchemist was shocked at the news. "Amaranth? Are… you sure? But… they're… all dead. How?" she stammered. The sadness in her tone was wiped away by pure shock.

"I don't get it either. I called to you because I thought that… you might know something that I don't know."

"The only thing I know is they all died because all of us failed. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I know that I have more knowledge about this, being a royalty myself, but-"

"It's okay." The alchemist smiled at the witch sympathetically. "I'm sure I have books about Amaranths here. If I found some, I'll send it to you."

"Thanks," A small smile formed on the witch's face.

With that, their conversation ended. The thick smoke slowly faded, and the big cauldron cleaned itself empty.

The witch thought about what the Oracle said in their conversation earlier. _T__hey all died because all of us failed_. She hated the sound of it, but it's the painful truth. She failed—they all failed—to save the kingdom they cherished the most.

Her door squeaked open, and there stood Skye with a black-haired girl in his arms.

When the witch's eyes laid her eyes on the girl, she felt something wrong. It's the same face, the same complexion, and the same hair, but she knew this girl is not her precious friend.

The witch frowned, which was misinterpreted by the silver-haired man as impatience. "Sorry we're late. Some problems happened at the mansion," he explained.

The witch pointed her thumb to her bed, signaling the silver-haired man to bring the girl there. Then, the witch took the red gem on her hand, with her handkerchief acting as doily.

"Do you know why I hold the blood this way?" asked the witch as she walked to the side of the bed. Skye shook his head silently.

"This blood holds that girl's memories. If I touch this blood with my bare hands, the memories it seals will be transferred to me."

"Then, those dreams—"

"Yes. Those dreams you had are actually her memories." The witch stared at the gem on her hand. "Seems like you always sleep with it, that's why her memories was being transferred to you through your dreams."

"Her memories?" the silver-haired man repeated, completely baffled. He can't believe those dreams full of sufferings, sorrow, and deaths are this girl's memories. "How can you be so sure?"

"I've experienced it before."

"You transferred you memories?"

"No. Someone's memories was transferred to me," the witch glanced coldly at the silver-haired man. "Now, you'll decide if I should give back this girl's memories or not."

The silver-haired man furrowed his brow. "Why should I be the one to decide?"

"Because you saw her memories," said the witch flatly.

The man pondered for a while. He didn't get the witch's point, but for now, he should decide. Then, he finally came to a conclusion. "She deserves to know the truth about her life."

"Even if it will crash her?" asked the witch.

"I'll take responsibility if it does so," the silver-haired man said firmly as he turned her attention to the black haired-lady, who's now awake.

Ellia slowly sat up on the bed, shifting her eyes to and fro at the two person beside her.

"I'm the Witch Princess," the witch introduced as she sat down beside the girl. "I have something for you; give me your hand," said the witch gently.

Ellia extended her hand. As the witch dropped the gem in her palm, she noticed that the witch's eyes are red as hers.

When the gem reached her palm, it melted instantly and turned into blood. She felt the blood slowly seeping through her skin, and soon, the blood on her palm made it through her veins. Then she suddenly felt a heavy sensation in her head. She clutched her head and grunted in pain.

The witch held her trembling body tightly, gently patting her head. Skye sat on the other side of the bed and asked if the girl will be alright, but the witch did not respond.

Tears started to trail down on the girl's cheek, her eyes shut closed, and her body trembled uncontrollably. After several moments of agony, she opened her eyes.

Both the witch and the silver-haired man was surprised when they saw her eyes glowing bright red. Then, she spoke with a trembling voice.

"A stone palace… in a room… people… people laughed… people laughed. On a stone chair… they… chained me. In front of me… mother… they chained on a flat stone. They laughed… made her drink something… then she died… and they stabbed her… no mercy. And they asked me… _Who killed poor Alice?_

"Someone there... distributed wine... and wine glasses. They... poured mother's blood... on their drink. They drank... merrily. A man... force me to drink... the wine... but mother's blood was mixed with it... so I didn't. But... but... they forced me to... and made me drink it. It went down to my throat... but I don't like it. I... drank my mother's blood... and I hate it... I hate it.

"Then I cried… they laughed… they said I killed mother… but I didn't… no. One of them… came to me… holding a crown… made of flower. I know that flower well… very well… an amaranth flower… just like me. They crowned me… and they bowed… and said… _To the last immortal one_… then I cried.

"I screamed… very loud… then red thorns appeared… from the stone ground… it killed them… all. I killed them all. I…I…" Ellia gasped and covered her glowing eyes.

"After that… I heard someone… clapping… a boy… blonde hair… and eyes gentlest of blue. I remember… he's my friend… William… he saved me. He smiled… said he killed his father… just like me who killed my mother… but I didn't. They killed her… not me.

"He brought me to several… places that… I don't know. We grew… together… took care of me. But one day… he left… he left me... in an inn... I was alone… in a village that I… that I don't know… it was night. I only have… a shoulder bag… with rolls of red and white silk. And then… and then… people said I'm a monster.

"Said I'm a monster… said I'm a vampire… said I have to be killed… I ran away… away from that place. Then I arrived at another village… it's the same. I ran… and ran… arrived and… left.

"People whipped me… stabbed my arm and leg. They're petrified when no blood… came out from my body. But that was… because… I can control my blood. I… don't want my blood… to drop on a place I don't know... that... that was my duty... as the last Amaranth.

"They chased me away… I did. When strangers… tried to touch my leg… or arm… I screamed… and red thorns sprang from the ground… just like… like last time. And I killed them… killed them. Blood was… blood was everywhere. Children saw… and… and threw stones at me. I don't want to… kill them… so I ran."

Ellia wept uncontrollably on her hands. "I killed…them. I didn't kill them," she muttered between sobs. The witch held her tightly and whispered some gentle words to her.

Skye was petrified in his seat. The events was very different, but it's like those in his dreams. However, there is one thing he can't settle in his mind. He heard Ellia called that boy William her friend, when he remembered well in his dreams that the boy called William was abusing her.

* * *

_**I thought a thousand-word chapter is long, but now that I've taken a look at it, it doesn't seem so. I think I should make the following chapters longer than this one.**_

_**I'll just remind you, my dear readers, that this story is a tragedy with a little romance sprinkled on top, so it's not as fluffy and lovey-dovey like the other stories. Though, I still hope you'll be interested in this one. **_

_**Please drop a review! I do appreciate it. **_


	6. Words of A Journal

Lumina was pacing up and down the hall, mumbling something. Her steps grew louder every second. Her emotions switched between confusion and worry as she steps her feet. She was getting more confused every time she turn her head towards her grandmother, who was relaxing with a cup of tea rather than worrying like her.

Ever since they took Ellia in the mansion, the old woman started to act strange. Romana used to panic when her granddaughter was a minute late going home, but now she was calmly drinking her tea even when Lumina has just reported that their guest was "kidnapped."

"Grandmother, how can you sip your tea like that? Are we not going to report this to Mr. Harris at the very least?" Lumina said with a strained voice, trying her best not to shout at her grandmother.

"Now, there is no need to worry. I'm sure she will be alright," replied Romana in her own croaky voice.

"But the thief got her!" This time Lumina shouted, but she covered her mouth afterwards.

"The thief can't harm her. In fact, no one can."

Lumina stared at her grandmother in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

The old woman didn't reply and finished her tea in silence. When Lumina glanced towards Sebastian, who was also nonchalant about the whole situation like her grandmother, the old butler was just standing beside her grandmother drowsily. That was when she realized that it's past midnight. She was about to complain again when three loud knocks on the door broke the silence reigning in the mansion.

The three of them saw a folded piece of paper in the space between the door and the threshold. As the old butler took it and brought it to Romana, Lumina looked through the window but saw no one around the mansion.

Romana opened the paper and read the contents. "You don't need to worry anymore, Lumina. It seems like the thief is kind enough to bring Ellia back here." The old woman held the paper towards her granddaughter and Lumina took it.

Lumina read the contents aloud. "I brought your guest back in one of your rooms." The handwriting was the same with the note they had earlier, so she immediately know that it came from the Phantom Thief. She looked at her grandmother's reaction, but it remained the same.

"That solves the case. Let's all retreat to our own rooms and rest," Romana said as she handed her cup to Sebastian and walked slowly to her room, which was the middle room in the first floor.

"You should rest, too, Miss Lumina," Sebastian said before bringing the cup to the kitchen.

Lumina just stood there, trying to comprehend what had happened. She felt like she's having an odd dream. But after she read the words written on the piece of paper in her hand again, she rushed upstairs to the room at the right of her own room. She opened the door hastily and turned on the lights. Lumina sighed in relief after she saw Ellia sleeping under a cream-colored bed sheet.

* * *

"Just where is that book when I need it the most," grunted the witch as she dug the pile of books at the corner of her room. "This is why Amaranths shouldn't seal their things with their blood. I can't simply track it with my magic."

As the witch continued to search for a certain book, a thick smoke emerged from her cauldron producing the image of her alchemist friend.

"I have a great news! Great news! GREAT NEWS! Ooooooh! Where are you?"

The witch clicked her tongue in annoyance before she flew to her cauldron with her broomstick.

"You better make it quick because I'm looking for something important here."

"Oooooooh! Talk about something important! I found my grandfather's journal! It even contains all his experiences when he was still their medical practitioner. And by medical, that means alchemical!" The oracle sang in her bubbly voice. "It will be a big, BIG help, I assure you!"

The witch raised her eyebrow. "So? Why do you think that would help?"

"Stop being mean! He's the one who managed to cure the first Amaranth who got sick, you know?"

"Huh? Are you kidding me? Amaranths don't get sick."

"That's the point! But, I don't think my ancestor would lie in his own journal. And," the oracle's face turned serious. "It's written here that the Amaranths' extinction was not caused by mass murder like we all thought."

The witch stared at the alchemist, her mouth slightly agape, waiting for the alchemist's next words.

"It was mass suicide."

* * *

The witch flipped the page of the journal that the oracle had sent her. What the oracle said earlier made her unsure for some reasons. The oracle was not there when it all happened, but the witch saw it with her own eyes.

The witch remembered it well—that the Amaranths died by the hands of greedy people, not by their own. She can't understand why a person would go as far as to twist the truth in his own diary, especially Ulyssa's grandfather, whom she had known as an honest man.

The witch landed on a certain page with a very rushed handwriting. When she looked at the written date, her eyes widened—it was the day their kingdom had fallen. She read the words slowly to understand the poorly-written letters.

_Yesterday, the queen summoned me in her chamber. When I entered the room, I noticed that no was there beside me and Her Majesty. She was lying on her bed, with the covers up to her chin. Her face was flushed and beads of sweats formed on her forehead. She was in terrible condition, I can surely say. I thought she called for me to cure her, but I was wrong._

_"__Why did you poison me?" The queen said, her voice still firm despite her condition._

_"__Pardon, Your Majesty."_

_"__Why did you poison me? You're the only one who knows that we Amaranths are susceptible to poisons—poisons that destroy our blood, to be exact. You know the only thing that can harm us, and since you're an alchemist, you can easily make poisons that can do you favor to kill us."_

_"__Your Majesty, I never wished to harm our benefactor."_

_"__How expected of you to deny it. Well, I do not care anymore."_

_"I am telling the truth, Your Majesty."_

_"Will you do me a favor? Oh, I think it would be better this way. I have a task for you."_

_I raised my head and listened intently to the task that made me regret my life._

_"__I want you to make a poison that can kill all of us."_

_"__Your Majesty, I can't do that."_

_"__Your daughter and your grandchild…" The queen smiled mischievously._

_"__Please, Your Majesty."_

_"__Then, I need it tomorrow morning."_

_"__Your Majesty, I can't._

_"__You may leave now."_

_I did what she asked, afraid that the queen will harm my family. I made the poison she wanted and brought it to her this morning. When I entered their palace, all of the Amaranth were lined up at the both sides of the aisle leading to the throne in which the queen sat with the princess standing beside her. I walked down the aisle, avoiding their red gazes. _

_In front of the queen's throne stood a stone structure that resembled a birdbath, but the basin was wider and deeper and it was filled of red wine instead of water. I stopped in front of that stone structure, staring at my red reflection on the small pool of wine. The queen ordered me to pour the poison there, and so I did. After that the queen commanded me to stay at the corner of the room. _

_The queen stood from her throne and walked down the stone structure with such composure that no one would think she's suffering from a poison. The princess followed, bringing two silver cups. Soon after, all the Amaranths gathered in front of the queen in a semi-circle formation. _

_The queen took her silver cup and filled it with the poisoned wine. It seems like the queen's body was growing weaker, and she can't regain her composure anymore. The people noticed their queen's behavior, but they still listened to their ruler when she started to speak in a shaking voice._

_"__Today I gather all of you to announce that it is possible for us to stop the chaos that will fall on us. It is true that we can no longer stop the invasion of the greed, but we still hold the one that they want for themselves. As long as there is an immortal flower that still blooms, hunters will do whatever it takes to pluck it out from its throne." _

_The queen raised her cup before she continued. "Now, with this poison that can pollute our powerful blood, we shall destroy every drop of blood that flows within our body. The moment we die, we will be taking along our protectors, who obtained power by drinking the precious Amaranth blood. Not a trace of Amaranth shall be left, and that will end the greed."_

_Every word that I heard lingers in my mind. I didn't understand what the queen said, except that she plans to kill themselves. And when they die, that will be the end of us, too. I saw the Amaranths walking towards the poisoned wine by pair, each filling their own cups. That time, I started to run away. _

_It is the family's precept to make an antidote for every potion made. I rushed to the place where I made the poison, hoping that I can stop them before they commit a crime, but I didn't find the antidote there and I began to panic. _

_Then, I heard some noises outside. When I checked where the noises were coming from, I saw unknown people with spears and axes crossing the border. I rushed to my house, and when I saw both my daughter and my granddaughter alive, I was relieved for a bit._

_I took both of them away from the kingdom, away from that mountain where summer encircled winter. I know that we will still die even if we run away, but I don't want to have my end there, not in that place. Tonight I write this to free myself from the guilt that I_

The words ended there. The witch flipped the next pages, but all were blank, just like how she felt. She get off from her broom and just stood right in front of her desk. She didn't know what to and how to think anymore.

* * *

_**Hi guys! Sorry if I haven't updated for a while. So, do you like the story so far? Please drop a review if you do. **_

_**For those who don't know, The Oracle from ToTT is an alchemist and her real name is Ulyssa. She's not a witch, okay? Okay.**_


	7. Not Alice

_**Tada! Another chapter! **_

_**TMCP: Oh my. Thank you for you kind words. I'm getting more determined to finish this story. =**_**D**

* * *

After the whole "kidnapping" event that evening, Lumina pledged herself not to take her eyes away from Ellia. She somehow felt that it was her fault for not stopping the thief, given that she was there when it all happened.

Morning came, but the surroundings were still dark and cold. Despite her lack of sleep, Lumina rose from her bed and dressed herself. She quietly walked to the room next to hers. When she entered the room, she noticed that the black-haired girl was already awake but was still lying down on the bed. The black-haired girl sat up when she walked towards her.

Lumina gasped when tears started to fall from Ellia's eyes. She immediately sat next to the black-haired girl and rubbed her back softly.

"Lumina," cried the black-haired girl.

"Are you alright?" asked Lumina worriedly.

"I'm—"

Lumina gasped again, realizing last night's events. She grabbed Ellia's shoulders and inquired, "The thief didn't do something to you, did he?"

The black-haired lady was confused by her question and did not manage to reply, which caused Lumina to interrogate her again.

"Tell me. Why are you crying? Did he hurt you? What did he do?"

"Lumina,"

"You can tell me."

"Lumina, I'm sorry." Ellia said in a low voice, averting her eyes away from the young lady.

Lumina held her breath. She didn't say any more words; instead, she wrapped her arms around the black-haired girl's small frame and patted her head soothingly.

The early autumn morning was spent by Ellia saying sorry and Lumina comforting her.

* * *

The golden sun stood in the vast blue sky along with thin cirrus clouds. Several birds sang sweetly around the villa, acting as the orchestra for the people inside the mansion who were having their lunch.

Lumina fidgeted on her seat after she finished her meal, nervously glancing at her grandmother while waiting for the old woman to finish her own meal.

Soon after, Romana finished the meal. Lumina gathered up her courage and spoke to her grandmother.

"Grandmother, I was thinking about touring Ellia around the valley since she haven't visited most of the area around. So, I—" Lumina stuttered.

"That's a great idea." Romana said after wiping her mouth with a napkin. "It might also help to ease her down after what had happened last night. Go on and enjoy your trip."

Reminded of the words "last night," Ellia remembered what had happened to her last night. Two strangers were talking to her, and then images flooded into her mind. Those moving images seemed real, seeing the events as if she was witnessing them herself. She felt like having a flashback of memories that she lost.

On the other hand, Lumina furrowed her eyebrows, totally baffled by her grandmother's actions. Every time she asks for her grandmother's permission to go outside, the old woman will always rave about her neglecting her studies before finally agreeing. It was the first time that her grandmother let her go off the hook so easily.

But since the old woman agreed, Lumina didn't waste a second to move. She rose up from her seat and dragged Ellia outside the mansion, interrupting Ellia's train of thoughts. She started to explain things when they have walked past the entrance pillars.

"I'm sorry for dragging you out, Ellia. You see, it's rare for grandmother to agree like that."

Ellia did not listen to those words. The images that she saw last night were flashing back in her mind again and it made her frown.

"I'm sorry, Lumina." She tried her best to prevent her tears from falling.

"Why are you saying sorry, by the way?" Lumina smiled. "Let's get going, shall we? There are lots of places to show you. I don't even remember you walking past Kate's place."

Lumina showed her around the main pathway, passing through the Blue Bar, the Inn, and Dr. Hardy's place. All the villagers already knew about Ellia staying in the mansion, though they did not actually know how she looks like, so Lumina introduced her to every people they pass by.

After touring her around Jill's farm, they circled around the Turtle Pond area before going to Vesta's place. They were welcomed by Celia and took a short rest there before proceeding to the waterfall area. Their last stop was at Nina and Galen's place. Lumina didn't know that she will hear the most disturbing words there.

When they reached the old couple's place, they're not greeted by a usual warm welcome.

"My, if it isn't Alice. It's good to know you're still well." Nina smiled towards Ellia. "Come, sit. Oh, Lumina was here, too."

Both Lumina and Ellia sat on the couch, while Nina took a stool and sat across them.

"Do you know her, Ellia?" whispered Lumina to the black-haired girl.

"I'm not sure." Ellia replied to Lumina in the same manner. Then, Ellia turned her attention to the old lady across her. "I'm sorry, but I'm not Alice."

"Not Alice?" replied Nina while blinking her puffy eyes. "Same eyes and same face, but not Alice? Even Galen will not believe you, dear."

"I'm definitely not Alice. If you're looking for the Alice that looks like me, she's long dead." Ellia replied with a smile. "And I think you will be soon, too."

Lumina shivered after hearing that. Despite of the heaviness of those words, the old lady laughed softly.

"I already know that, dear. My, you almost sound like Alice." The old lady chuckled, but her expression turned serious later on. "So, Alice is dead."

"Yes, I'm very sure."

"If you're not Alice, then who are you?"

"I'm Ellia."

The old lady smiled again. "Such a beautiful name."

Lumina, feeling uneasy with the flow of their conversation, interrupted the two of them.

"We won't stay long, Nina. Grandmother might get worried since it's getting late." Lumina said nervously.

"Romana? My, she used to keep Alice for herself, you know? I can't blame her since Alice was such a nice flower." said Nina as she stood up. "Be careful on your way back, dears. Feel free to come again."

Both young ladies waved her goodbye and left.

"Poor Alice," muttered the old lady as she watch the two walking down the path.

* * *

Romana stood on the rugged floor, facing the wall. The piano was on her right side while her butler stood on her left side. The old woman was viewing a monochrome red painting.

"What are we going to do with Ms. Alice, Ms. Romana?" The old butler started.

"Hmm? I don't think she's Alice," replied the old woman, still facing the painting.

"Just because she calls herself Ellia, it doesn't mean she's not Alice. With the power of their blood, I think it is possible for them not to age."

"I don't think so. They can control their blood, but not to that extent. They might have the same appearance, but I can truly say that Ellia is different."

"Do you believe the girl, Ms. Romana?"

"For now, yes, I do. We will just wait for something to happen."

The butler nodded silently.

"After all, Alice won't remain that young after 20 years," added the old woman as she turned away from the painting. "I'm still wondering how Ellia got here. I just hope it is not the Regisons' doing."

* * *

_**It gets creepier every chapter, don't you think? This is just the prelude, though. **_

**_If you guys are looking for Skye, worry not for he will be in action soon._**

**_Thanks for reading. Please rate and review._**


	8. Second Fragment

_**Dum-Da-Daa-DAAA! I'm so happy you guys (or most of you) are enjoying this story. I enjoy writing it, too.**_

_**sunflowergirl12: Oh my, thank you. T.T**_

_**TMCP: I'm glad you like it, despite the darkness and all. Well, you'll know who Ellia really is later on. Hehe.**_

* * *

"Well, what can I say? It's rare for you to ask a favor." Skye leaned back on the door, crossing his arms.

The witch slammed the journal close and pointed her finger angrily to the silver-haired man. "What took you so long?! I told you to come back immediately! Then, what?! You came after a week!"

"You can't blame me. All those dreams still bug me. I kept having them even without that gem in my hand. What do you need, anyway?"

"Taking those memories from you would be easy, but I don't want heavy dreams troubling me in my sleep. I've had enough of those in my head. So, you'll be telling me every detail of those dreams you've had."

"I know you're _that_ wicked, but doing that is like stabbing myself with thousand knives."

"If it's that painful, I have a lot of tonics to help you." The witch snapped her fingers and several bottles floated towards the thief. The bottles arranged themselves neatly and landed beside him.

"Before that, I have a question for you," said the thief as he squatted down on the floor.

"Go on."

"Are you, by any chance, connected to Alice?"

The witch held her breath. "Alice?" She repeated.

"Alice—the girl that I brought here last week."

"Why did you say she's Alice?"

"She looked like the Alice in those dreams, and you told me those dreams were her memories, so I think they're the same."

"We both heard it from the girl, right? Alice was killed."

"I don't understand the whole thing anymore; I don't even think it's _whole_."

"Me either. That's why I'm asking you to tell me the story you know, so I might understand it better."

"Hey, you didn't answer my question."

The witch clicked her tongue in impatience. "I'll answer that if all are settled."

The thief sighed. "Where should I start?"

"From the very start, of course."

The thief opened one of the bottles beside him and he was completely disgusted when the smell of the potion hit his nose. Nevertheless, he tried to remember the first dream he have had concerning a black-haired girl.

"It was snowing heavily. In a white castle, people were gathered. All the people have the same appearance—black hair, pale skin, and red eyes. A woman with the same appearance was there sitting on a white throne, wearing a white crown adorned with red jewels. There was a little girl sitting on her lap, and they have the same face. The little girl was her daughter, I guess.

"New people entered the room, their looks are completely different from the people inside. They're arranged in a single line, with a man wearing a golden crown over his blond hair leading the group.

"The woman with a crown said. 'Is that the last batch?' The man replied, 'Yes, Queen Alice.'

"The queen patted the little girl's head. 'They are few, yet very lucky. Little Alice here has the most powerful blood among us, being the last Amaranth. It is a good thing that my little girl reached the legal age for the pact in time. If she did not, it will be a big trouble.'

"The man laughed. 'Indeed, they are few. There are only three of them actually. I brought more escort because I have my daughter with me.'

"The queen's face brightened. 'Oh, the Summer Princess?' The man stepped aside to show his daughter, who has the same blond hair. The queen smiled. 'I see. That was why you reserved your daughter for the last batch. Pretty smart of you, King Arthur. Well, shall we start?'

"The king nodded, and the queen spoke again. 'I ask the candidates to step forward.' The three candidates formed a horizontal line in front of the queen. The queen notice the other two candidates, both having pink hair and green eyes. 'My, so our doctor's daughter and granddaughter are also here? Well, both of you deserve to have the princess' blood.'

"The little girl sitting on the queen's lap stepped down and walked towards the three of them. The queen and the king followed and stood with the little girl between them, the queen on the girl's right side and the king on the left. Someone brought a silver knife to the king and a silver cup to the queen.

"The queen said, 'In accordance to the law that was created after the Winter and Summer's alliance, the Knights shall have the duty of protecting the Amaranth who provided them power through the Amaranth's blood. By coming here, you have pledged to accept that duty. With all of the Amaranth as the witness, you shall perform the pact that had woven two separate kingdoms together having Princess Alice as your benefactor.'

"With that said, the little girl faced the king, who cut her right forefinger with the silver knife. After that, she faced the queen and filled the silver cup with her blood. When all was done, her wound healed quickly, stopping the flow of her blood.

"The little girl took the cup and said, 'Through this blood, I, Princess Alice of Winterland, grant you the power to protect us from our hunters. We trust you not to fail, for the safety of Winter means the safety of Summer as well.' The girl paused for a moment. 'I want to give the honor of having the first drop to the Princess of Summer.'

"The summer princess stepped forward. She took the cup and drank half of its contents; the little girl's red eyes glowed in the process. After that, the summer princess' mauve eyes glowed and slowly turned to a red shade. She gave the cup to the other two candidates. The two candidates' green eyes also glowed and turned red. The princess handed the cup back to the little girl and walked back to her position. The three candidates' eyes were still glowing, along with the little girl.

"And then the king spoke, 'I now declare you as Knights of the joined kingdom. As your king, I expect you to fulfill your duty and give honor to our beloved Summerland. With the power of the Amaranth blood that is now flowing within you, you shall protect your benefactor from the hands of her hunters.'

"The three candidates bowed to the winter princess, and the little girl did the same. The glow in their eyes slowly diminished and soon returned to a normal shade; however, the three candidates' eyes remained red. No more words were said, and the visiting party left," finished Skye as he eyed the bottle, which was still full.

"Which reminds me," he started again, "the summer princess looked exactly like you."

The witch didn't reply and flew to her cauldron, instead. "That's it for today. You may leave."

The thief placed the bottle back on the floor and stood. "There are two Alice," he turned around and faced the door, "and the first one's dead." He opened the door and left.

The witch eyed the door for a moment. When she was sure that she's completely alone, she threw some silver powder in her cauldron. The thick smoke appeared in front of her, showing the image of an angry alchemist.

"HEY! You gave me a shock there! DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!" yelled the oracle.

The witched ignored her greeting. "Alice is still alive." She said quickly in a low voice.

The oracle gasped. "WH-WHAAAAAT?! Wh-Where is she? Where is she?"

"In this valley."

"WHAT?! Are you SURE? But, didn't you say you saw her die?"

"I'm not sure anymore. Something's bothering me."

"Huh? What is it?"

"This is just a theory, but I think that the reason why the knights died was not because of the invaders. When the Amaranths ended their lives, it became the end of the knights, too."

"You mean when a benefactor dies, so will be those who drank the benefactor's blood?"

"Exactly. But the thing is, we're still breathing."

"I… I don't understand," the oracle furrowed her brows in confusion.

* * *

_**Compared to the earlier chapters, I think this one is the lightest (based on creepiness). **_

_**And it seems like we have two Alice. **_

_**King Arthur over there is an OC. Cool name, huh? **_

_**By the way, fragment chapters are veeeery important. These chapters might have double (or triple?) meaning in them. Hehe.**_

_**I guess you guys are getting more confused, but don't fret. It's still starting, after all.**_

_**Thank you for reading! Drop a review if you feel to do so. **_


	9. Odd

_**Here's another chapter. **__**I'm trying to balance the mood of this story, so it won't be too heavy. I just thought that too much darkness/creepiness here would freak my readers out, and I don't want that.**_

_**sunflowergirl12: Based on the previous chapter, the first Alice (the queen) and the second Alice (the princess/the little Alice) have a mother-and-child relationship. But Ellia... Well, you'll know more about her later on. **_**:****D**

**_TMCP: I'm still thinking if Kiera can join the play. She seemed too innocent to be involved in a tragic story. haha_**

_**I guess you guys are craving (or maybe not) for this kind of chapter. Enjoy~ **_

* * *

Skye closed the door behind him and sighed heavily. His mind was in total haze, and he got mad because of it. He stomped away from the witch's hut while mumbling something.

"Of all people, why am I the one experiencing this dilemma? I didn't steal _that_ much to deserve this thing. I've lost lots of sleep because of those dreams, and now that witch wants me to tell it all to her," he complained. He stopped on his tracks after realizing something.

"Now that I've come to think about it, those dreams are very different," he pondered loudly while placing his hand under his chin. "Compared to ordinary dreams, I can hear voices and feel emotions there. They're also very long to be called as such."

"Those are not dreams." A voice chimed behind him. Skye turned around; he saw a black-haired lady wearing a long, full-skirt black dress and the lady was holding a cat in her arms.

"So the root of all these problems appears," he said in a low voice.

The lady managed to hear his words. She walked past him and said in a soft voice, "I don't mind being the root of problems, Mister."

"Of course, you don't, since you're not the one who…" he stated gruffly, but realization interrupted him. He realized that he was talking to the one who owns those memories, and he knew it himself that the girl had had it harder.

He turned to the direction the girl walked to, but he didn't find her there. "You truly blend perfectly with the darkness," he mumbled.

He breathed deeply and shrugged the matter off. For now, he wants to visit his favorite place in the valley to clear his head.

* * *

Skye twitched an eyebrow when he reached the Goddess' Pond. He came there to cool his head, but when he saw the black-haired girl again, he growled in frustration. He stared at the girl and noticed that she was lying on her back, not moving an inch. He suddenly felt like it was déjà vu all over again.

He walked towards her and crouched down, his face parallel to hers at a decent distance. He felt relieved when she's breathing, which means he didn't need to bother to return her back to the mansion again.

"What are you doing here, Alice?" he asked.

"Alice?" The girl's eyes flung open and met her interrogator's turquoise eyes.

Skye straightened his back. "Isn't that you're name?"

The girl sat up and stood, causing the cat resting on her stomach to fall on the ground. She faced the man as she place her hands on her hips. "You're the fourth one who mistook me as Alice, you know? What made you people think I'm Alice?"

Skye also stood and reached for his pockets. "Are you telling me you're not Alice?"

"Of course! I will not bother to act like this if I'm Alice!" After the girl yelled, she brought her hands to cover her red, watery eyes. "It's very painful to be reminded of that terrible woman. I never wished to be like her nor to be connected with her." Tears slowly fell from her face. "I… hate her. She's the very reason why my life turned out like this."

The thief patted the girl's head and tried to comfort her. "I'm sorry."

"No. It's… okay," the girl said as she sobbed.

"What's your name then?"

"Ellia."

"Such a beautiful name."

Ellia chuckled lightly and wiped away her tears. "Now, you're the second one who said that to me."

Skye smiled after hearing her laugh. He placed his hand back in his pocket and asked, "So, what were you doing here?"

"I was mourning," she replied simply and picked the cat who's scratching the hem of her dress.

"For whom?"

"I was mourning for my fellow Amaranths. But then, I don't think they deserve it." Ellia smiled sadly. She walked towards the big tree in front of the pond and sat down, leaning her back on the wide trunk.

"Autumn nights are cold. You should get back to the mansion."

"I'm used to the cold."

Skye watched her as she closed her eyes. "That makes sense, since you were born on a mountain of nonstop winter," he remarked as he sat down next to the girl.

"Hm? What do you mean? I was born and raised on an island," she muttered, her eyes remained shut.

Skye furrowed his eyebrows and stared at the girl. That was completely different from the story he knew. He was starting to doubt which is true—those dreams or the words of this girl.

* * *

Jill shook Ellia's shoulders, trying to wake her up. It was mid-morning already.

"Does she always sleep outside like this?" Jill asked Lumina, who was standing behind her.

"No, she doesn't. In fact, she rarely goes out."

Ellia opened her eyes, and looked around. She saw Jill and Lumina both staring at her.

"Did I doze off?" Ellia asked.

"I think saying that you slept here is more accurate," Jill replied.

"I was worried when I didn't saw you in your room." Lumina added. "Why are you here with our cat, by the way?"

"I was mourning."

"Mourning?" Jill and Lumina repeated. "So that's why you're wearing lots of black." Jill stated.

Ellia felt the cat's paw on her arm. That was when she saw three red flowers in her left hand. "What are these?" she asked Jill.

The farmer gasped in surprise. "Those are Red Magic Grass. They're very rare around here that we almost thought they're extinct. Where did you find it?"

"I don't know. I just saw them in my hand."

Jill and Lumina shared glances. Both of them were very sure that flowers don't travel.

* * *

_**For those who don't know, Ellia's name is pronounced as "eh-lee-ya."**_

_**What does her name mean, you ask? You'll find out soon.**_

_**I also want to explain why Skye acted the way he did on the beginning of the chapter. As you can see, he's pretty confident about himself, knowing that his plans always run smoothly and he can escape most problems so easily. Let's just say that his mind is always calm and organized. Now that Ellia's memories stormed his brain (imagine your brain full of creepy stuff), he can't retain his calmness anymore. And of course, he got mad/angry/frustrated because he can't keep his usual composure. More likely, he can't just accept that such memories caused him a lot troubles. (Since you can't totally sleep when you kept having dreams)**_

_**I hope that explains it. Have a good day.**_


	10. Walking Flower

Ellia stood in front of Lumina's room, holding a punnet full of apples and blue flowers. She knocked the door gently and slowly opened it.

"Lumina, I'm planning to visit Nina today. Would you like to come?" Ellia asked.

Lumina was a bit flustered when she saw Ellia and she bit her lip.

"Oh, don't worry. I already have Romana's permission," the black-haired girl added.

"Y-You can go without me s-since I'm planning to practice the piano for the whole day." Lumina replied quite nervously while avoiding Ellia's gaze. "Have a safe trip."

The black-haired girl stared at her for a moment, then smiled, "Okay. I'll be leaving then."

With that, Ellia left the room.

* * *

"Hi there, Ellia. It's good to see you looking well. Come in." Nina greeted warmly after seeing the black-haired girl in front of her door.

"I've brought these. Sebastian said I should give this to you." Ellia handed out the small basket she was carrying to the old lady.

"Thank you, dear. I've always wanted some of these. We should eat these apples right away. Too bad, my old man's not here. He's out there fishing." Nina paused for a moment and glanced at the black-haired girl. "Oh, that's right. You haven't met Galen yet. Don't worry, he'll be here later."

Ellia sat on the couch while Nina was preparing the apples. "It feels so nostalgic. I missed the times when Alice visited here. I almost thought you're Alice because you're wearing the same dress she used to wear," the old lady mused.

"This dress?" Ellia looked down on her dress. The wine-colored clothing hugged her upper body and flowed freely from her waist down to her toes. The ruffled long-sleeves coated her arms perfectly and a laced choker of the same color as her dress decorated her pale neck.

"This was given to me by Romana," she said.

"Alice used to wear those types of dresses. I'm surprised Romana didn't throw them," the old lady said as she sat down next to Ellia and placed the plate of apples on the table across them. "I couldn't tell the difference between the two of you, but then I remembered something." The old lady turned her head towards her visitor and smiled, "Alice's hair was straight, unlike yours which has beautiful curls."

"How did you know Alice?" the black-haired girl asked.

The old lady pondered for a moment. "I can't remember it well, but it was about two decades ago. A rich man brought Alice to the mansion and asked Romana to take care of her. Romana agreed and the man left after that. She visited us every day, sometimes with Romana's daughter."

The old lady smiled softly and continued. "Alice has a very difficult personality. There are times when she's very fickle and rude, and sometimes she's very sensitive and sentimental; that's why Galen used to hate her. But despite that, I still liked her. Every time she came here, she tells weird stories about her."

"Stories?" Ellia repeated.

"Yes, and they're very weird that it gives my husband the creeps." Nina laughed. "Would you like to hear it?"

Ellia nodded.

"Alice told me once that she's a flower—an amaranth that grows only in winter. She said that someone uprooted her and can move freely because of that. She also said she was the first among her kind to step out the winter and survived. To be honest, I thought she was only joking, and I know that amaranths are susceptible to cold. Galen said she's crazy after hearing that and told her that flowers stay in one place. Then, Alice reasoned to him that she can walk perfectly fine. They broke to a funny war after that." Nina let out a small chuckle.

"Have you seen an amaranth?"

"No. But I've heard of them in folklore. The tale said that there are special red flowers named Winter Amaranth that grew on a steep, cold mountain. People said when you eat the flower, you'll be immortal, but when the flower died, the one who ate it will die, too. It's funny because you can't eat the flower without killing it."

"That's a strange tale." The black-haired girl remarked.

"It is. But after Alice left, I felt kind of lonely. Even Galen, who used to hate her, said that he missed her." The old lady frowned. "I was surprised when you told me that she's dead."

"It's a terrible death." Ellia said in a cold tone.

"Which reminds me," Nina thought out loud, "are you related to Alice?"

Ellia fell silent for a moment. "Yes, I am." She replied simply, but those words were enough for Nina to understand everything.

"I see." the old lady smiled sadly. "I won't mention her again, then. It might be hard for you."

"Oh, I'm fine. Don't mind it."

Their conversation was interrupted when an old man with a fishing rod resting on his shoulder entered the small house. The man was startled when he saw the black-haired girl sitting beside his wife.

"Honey, you're back surprisingly early." Nina remarked.

"Nina, th-that girl," Galen muttered while pointing at the visitor.

"Oh, right. Ellia, this is my husband Galen. Honey, this girl is Ellia." The old lady introduced.

"It's nice to meet you." Ellia bowed slightly.

Galen relaxed a little. "At least this kid has manners unlike A—"

"Ellia, would you like to hear how Galen and I met?" Nina cut Galen's sentence and smiled at the girl.

The old man jerked. "Nina, that's—" the old man was about to protest but Nina cut his words again.

"Why won't you eat the apples while you rest, honey," the old woman pointed at the plate of untouched apples. "Ellia and I will have a long chat here."

* * *

_**Galen and Nina are so sweet together, don't you think?**_

_**As you can notice, I changed one of this story's category to friendship. Why, you ask? Well, I have two reasons.**_

_**First, I realized I don't know how to write romantic stuffs. The second reason, well, I think you'll see why after you read the next chapters.**_

_**That's it for today. Thank you for reading this story. Please rate and review.**_


	11. Third Fragment

The orange afternoon is growing cold, signaling the near arrival of winter. Small animals started to store their food in their homes, seizing every nuts and small berries they saw. It's the same for the villagers of Forget-Me-Not. They started to gather woods, dug up their warmest clothes, and packed their fridges full, all in order to survive the chill of winter. Tomorrow is the last day of autumn, after all.

Ellia walked on the cobblestone path without disturbing anybody. When she reached the villa, Sebastian was clearing the brick planters, totally absorbed in his task. The black-haired girl walked past the butler, not wanting to disturb him, and entered the mansion quietly. There she saw Romana, staring at a monochrome red painting that was hanging on the right side of the lounge.

"You're back quite earlier than I expected." The old woman remarked as the black-haired girl walked to her side.

Ellia noticed the empty piano stool and asked, "Where's Lumina?"

"She said she's not feeling well so I let her rest in her room."

Romana viewed the red painting with a serene face, and Ellia couldn't help it but join the old woman and stared at the red painting, too. Although the black-haired girl have seen this painting several times, she didn't have the time to observe it before. And now that she has taken a look at it, she didn't know how to describe it.

It's a portrait of a woman, painted in different shades of red. The woman had a laced hairband over her shoulder-length hair; her eyes was as gentle as her smile. She wore a beautiful dress with rose pattern. The rest of the painting was red, but the eyes of the woman was brown in color.

"Who's this?" Ellia asked.

"She's my daughter Lumira." Romana replied in a sad tone, not tearing her eyes away from the portrait of her daughter.

_Lumira_. The name echoed in Ellia's head. She remembered it; she saw that very face on the painting in the images that had flooded her mind. The more she looked at the painting, the more she observed the obscure texture of the colors. Then she suddenly realized that this portrait was not drawn using an ordinary paint.

Ellia slowly brought her hand on the cold glass that covered the painting. New memories entered her mind, but unlike the last time, these memories didn't rush into her head.

* * *

_Two women sat in front of the Harvest Goddess Pond, both contemplating the glowing, still water._

_"You're exceptionally good at everything, Alice. I'm quite envious." The woman with brown, shoulder-length hair and brown, gentle eyes said to the girl beside her._

_"There's no reason to envy me." Alice replied. "My life is more miserable than you."_

_"Hey, that's not the right thing to say to someone whose husband just died."_

_"Lumira, why aren't you crying? When my mother was killed in front of me, I can't stop my tears from falling. But you… Despite your husband's death, you can still talk cheerfully."_

_Lumira sighed. "Alice, it's not like I'm stopping my tears or anything. In fact, I want to cry, but the tears won't come out." Lumira chuckled lightly. "And I'm sure my husband won't like it if I'm going to cry like a baby."_

_Alice smiled sadly at her friend. She stood up and dusted off her skirt. After that, she offered her hand to Lumira. "We should hurry and go back to the mansion before Romana gets angry."_

_Lumira smiled and took the hand. "You're being kind today, how unusual." She remarked as she dusted off her skirt, too. "Well, you're right. We should go back."_

* * *

_"What did you say?!" Romana exclaimed rather than asked._

_"Lumira said she's pregnant. Sebastian's upstairs with her." Alice explained to the rich woman._

_Romana rushed to her daughter's room—the middle room on the second floor of her mansion. Lumira chuckled after seeing her mother. _

_"At least you're husband had enough senses to leave you a gift." Romana stated while fighting back her tears._

_"I'll get depressed if you'll talk about my husband like that." Lumira smiled. _

_Romana hugged her daughter affectionately, while Sebastian and Alice watched them with smiles on their faces._

* * *

_"Alice, I haven't thought of a name for my child yet." Lumira pondered as she brought her hand to support her chin._

_"Just a friendly advice," Alice said as she stopped touching the piano keys. "Don't name your child after you."_

_"Why not?" Lumira asked after letting out a soft laugh. "Do you hate it that much to have the same name as your mother?"_

_"Not really. I used to like it when I was a child. Everyone calling me little Alice makes me kind of proud back then. But now, I feel like she's just sharing her identity to me, and I don't have an identity of my own."_

_"Don't be like that." Lumira frowned a little, but that frown was instantly wiped away and her face brightened. "Oh, that's it! I'll name her Lumina!"_

_"Lumina?" Alice repeated._

_"It sounds wonderful, right?"_

* * *

_"You did well, Ms. Lumira." Sebastian commented._

_"Lumina is such a beauty." Romana remarked while cradling the baby. "You must be tired," Romana said as she placed the new born child beside her daughter._

_"We'll leave you here for a while. Please have a rest Ms. Lumira."_

_The three prepared to leave, but a voice stopped them._

_"Mom, may Alice stay here for a while?" Lumira pleaded._

_Romana was reluctant at first, but she agreed. "Just don't tire yourself out." Romana and her butler left the room, giving the two girls their time to have their girly chats._

_Alice sat on the chair beside the bed and watched her friend._

_"Will you sing for my daughter, Alice? I'm too tired to do it for her." Lumira requested._

_"What song shall I sing?"_

_"My favorite song. You've heard it many times and I'm sure you've learned it already."_

_Alice drew a small breath and a soft voice escaped from her lips._

_"A voice calls softly; it calls from within_

_To trust my steps and to keep on dreaming_

_Around night falls and all turns to gray_

_But I hold the light to light my way"_

_Lumira gently hold the small body beside her and closed her eyes, smiling at the soft melody entering her ears. The baby made small hums and chuckles from time to time, responding to the song._

_"The sky is a clear blue no matter what we do_

_The road is long, but I see the light_

_That shines at the end, the arms reaching in_

_I know that you are waiting for me"_

_The baby swayed its hands in the air, as if she was trying to reach the voice. Lumira, on the other hand, fell asleep due to tiredness. Alice continued to sing as she watched the small movements of the baby._

_"Though sorrows, troubles may gather up high_

_Broken glass pieces fall from the sky_

_Memories though sad will hold something true_

_Shattered glass pieces reflect something new"_

_Alice stopped singing and leaned forward to the baby. The baby let out a disappointed groan when the melody stopped. Alice laughed softly after hearing the baby's groan._

_"I wish you won't experience the hardships that your mother had." Alice whispered as she touched the baby's cheek lightly. And with that, she slowly left the room._

* * *

_"She's sick?" Alice gasped._

_"Yes, Ms. Alice. The doctor can't identify her condition. I'm wondering if you could use your blood to heal her." Sebastian explained worriedly._

_"My blood might be dangerous for her. Her body is not supported by magic; she won't be able to contain my blood."_

_"But you can control your blood, right? The doctor said Ms. Lumira might die."_

_Alice didn't say any words, but hesitation was written all over her face._

* * *

_"Alice?" Lumira called._

_"Yes, Lumira?" Alice faced her friend, trying her best to prevent her tears from falling._

_"When I die, will you kiss my Lumina for me?"_

_"Don't say such things!"_

_"You're being rude, Alice. This is my last request, you know?"_

_"You're not going to die, you hear me?"_

_"Alice, I want to tell you something."_

_"You better make it long and make sure you'll finish it."_

_Lumira chuckled before speaking. "Mom said you're just a flower. She said you don't have a distinct personality and you don't care about other people. But when you agreed to be friends with me, I was very happy. I saw a side of you that mom probably haven't seen. Despite your rudeness, you're a very warm person. You stayed with me in my darkness and in my happiness. You became my light when I can't see any hope."_

_Lumira smiled. "Here, it's my gift for you." She held out a doll with a black, straight hair and blue eyes. It was wearing a pink dress with a matching pink hat._

_Alice took the doll and studied it. It looked exactly like her, except that the doll's eyes was blue instead of red and its skin has more color than her._

_"It's custom-made. I get mad when they refused to make its eyes red, but I can't do anything about it. Do you like it?"_

_Alice stifled a laugh. "Lumira, I'm too old for dolls."_

_"I know. I just can't think of anything to give you."_

_"You don't need to give me something like this."_

_"Alice, will you take care of my daughter when I'm gone?"_

_"I won't because you're not going to die yet."_

* * *

_Alice stood in front of the mansion door, facing Romana and Sebastian. A man with blond hair and blue eyes was waiting behind her._

_"May I see Lumina? I want to say something to her before I leave."_

_Romana agreed by stepping aside to let her in. Alice proceeded to Lumira's room, where Lumina lay asleep in a crib. Alice kissed the baby's forehead and placed the doll, which she carried the whole time, beside the small body._

_"I won't be able to take care of you anymore, so I'll leave this doll to watch over you. It has your mom's and my wishes for you. Be a good girl like your mother."_

_Alice wiped the single tear that fled her eye. After that, she left the mansion with the blond man, and the baby cried her eyes out. _

* * *

The flowing images ended. Tears flowed from Ellia's glowing eyes and when she looked at the painting again, it was not red just like before. The painting was now of different colors, showing the woman's brown hair and cream-colored dress.

Romana watched the black-haired girl the whole time without a change of expression on her face.

"Lumira," the black-haired girl mumbled as the glow on her eyes faded. "So this is what mother was trying to hide."

* * *

_**You might say that this chapter is "not connected" to the plot, but this one is very important like the other fragments. In fact, all the chapters are.**_

_**Lumira is the name I gave to Lumina's mother. She didn't appear in the game but there are some events where Lumina mentioned her (but not the name actually). I hope the name doesn't sound too lame. I can't think of any name that has the same sound as "Romana" and "Lumina."**_

_**The song used in this chapter is entitled **_**"Always With Me (Itsumo Nando Demo)" _and the lyrics was translated by Hayley Westenra. It's a Japanese song and a soundtrack from the movie _Spirited Away.**

_**Sorry for inserting many songs in this story, (there are only two, actually) but they portray the emotions that I can't explain in my words. I hope it won't be too bad for your tastes. **_

_**Thank you for reading this chapter. Please rate and review.**_


	12. Cold

_**Hi guys! Sorry for not updating for a long time. As you can see, a lot of thoughts distract my head. **_

* * *

Today is Pumpkin Festival; however, the atmosphere is cold, both in literal and metaphorical way. The Pumpkin Festival is a special occasion where kids go around the village and ask for candies. In this valley, the persons "fit" for the occasion are only Hugh and Kate. But the two of them insist that they are "big" enough for such "childish" festivity so no one actually celebrated the said festival today.

Some of the villagers were enjoying the last day of colorful autumn, while the others were warming their selves in their little homes. In a nutshell, the valley was peaceful today. But in Romana's mansion, the word "peaceful" seemed to be an understatement.

The mansion hall is too quiet—in a way that people would almost tell that it was abandoned. Romana was standing in front of her daughter's portrait; Lumina was lying on her bed, a doll in her arms; Ellia was sitting on her bed, squeezing a pillow in her embrace.

The only moving body in that mansion was Sebastian. He was walking up and down in the kitchen silently, checking their supplies of food and lumber. Distressed as he was, he was still very careful not to break the mansion's "silence."

Jill, who was one among the people enjoying the last day of fall, entered the mansion quietly. The tensed silence stiffened her. It was a long moment of stillness before Sebastian, who has just emerged from the kitchen, greeted her.

"Lady Jill, is there something I can do for you?"

The farmer waved her hands in front of her. "Ah, no. I came here to visit you guys, but..." she paused and glanced at Romana, "Did something happen between Romana and Lumina?"

"Nothing happened, really."

"Then, what's wrong with her?" Jill asked while pointing the old woman with her forefinger.

"Ms. Romana? She's always like that every time the last days of fall come. Today's the death anniversary of her daughter."

"Oh, right. I completely forgot about that," the farmer gasped. "How about Lumina and Ellia?"

"Ms. Lumina didn't leave her room since yesterday. And now Ms. Ellia started to lock herself in her room, too."

"Did they have a fight or something?" Jill asked worriedly.

"I don't think so. Sorry for this, but will you check Ms. Lumina for me?" the butler requested humbly.

"Oh, sure! Leave it to me." the farmer replied.

* * *

"Lumina, are you sure you're alright?" Jill asked.

"I'm fine. It's just that… Today is mom's death anniversary and… I don't know how I should feel." Lumina replied, her face did not hold any emotions.

The farmer didn't know how to console the lady. Jill lost her parents, but she had the time to be with them and she had memories to treasure. But Lumina never saw her parents at all. Lumina only had a glimpse of them on pictures, but she didn't have any memories with them.

The farmer was about to say something when Lumina speak up.

"You know," Lumina started as she laid her eyes on the doll in her hands, "grandmother said this was given to me by my mother. Every time I'm sad, I feel comforted when I talk to this doll. But now that I realized it, this doll looked like Ellia. Maybe that's why I feel drawn to her. I also feel comfortable when she's around, despite the fact that she's a total stranger to us. Somehow, I feel guilty. Ever since our visit from Nina, I've been avoiding her."

"Why are you avoiding her?"

"It's… hard to explain." Lumina sighed. "Did… you see her?"

"No. Sebastian said she locked herself in her room today."

"I wonder how did it go—her visit at Nina's place yesterday. Maybe she hated me for not coming with her."

The farmer raised her eyebrow. "Is she even capable of hating someone? I don't think so."

"Who knows? All of us don't know a single thing about her—where did she came from, how did she reached this mansion, what happened to her before, her parents, her history," Lumina paused for a moment before she continued, "But despite all of that, I can't bring myself to doubt her."

Jill smiled. "Yeah. I know what you mean."

* * *

"Ms. Ellia?" Sebastian called as he knocked on the wooden door.

"It's open," Ellia replied.

When Sebastian entered the room, Ellia was curled on her bed, with thick sheets covering her from head to toe.

"Ms. Ellia. You didn't have your breakfast. Would you like me to bring you some apples?" the butler asked.

"Say, Sebastian," the black-haired girl started, her voice sounded like a whisper under those sheets, "Why did Romana take me in?"

The butler didn't manage to answer immediately. "I can't answer that."

"Is it because of my resemblance to the flower she held two decades ago?"

"That might be it."

"Perhaps she thought I'm Alice."

The butler did not reply and stared at the big lump on the bed.

"Why did you let that monster take her away? She didn't want to go."

Again, the butler did not reply.

"What are you guys planning to do with me? I'm sure you're not taking good care of me out of pure kindness."

"There's an important thing you need to know, Ms. Ellia," the butler said, "Whatever it is that we plan to do with you, it will do you no harm."

With that said, the butler left and closed the door. Ellia stayed in her position, not moving an inch.

Once he stepped outside Ellia's room, Sebastian took a key in his pocket and placed it in a separate key hole that was placed above the door knob. With a few turns, he locked the door from the outside. After that, the butler went downstairs to finish his other tasks.

* * *

_**Sorry for this short chapter. I really have the trouble of making them longer.**_

_**You guys might want to check out my new story "Masquerade." It's a story where our HM characters are nobles! (well, some of them are not). Oh, worry not for it's not **_**that _creepy like this one. And of course, Ellia (my OC) stands as the main character. _**

**_Thank you for reading this chapter. Please, oh, please drop a review._**


	13. Locked

Sebastian brought the key he used earlier to Romana, who was still in front of her daughter's portrait. The butler then saw that the painting's colors changed—it was not red like before. He thought that perhaps Romana asked Cody, the valley's local artist, to replace it. Who wouldn't? That portrait was painted by the very person who caused Lumira's death.

"We thought that she was Alice, but now I know who she really is." Romana said as she clutched the key given by her butler. "Did she protest when you locked her?"

"She doesn't know that I did," was the butler's answer.

"Let's leave her like that until we receive Regison's reply. A week without food wouldn't hurt her."

"You wrote to the Regisons, Ms. Romana?"

"Yes. I'm sure Ellia is somehow connected to them."

The two of them heard footsteps coming from the stairs. It was Jill. The farmer approached the two and reported to Sebastian.

"Lumina said you don't have to worry about her," the farmer stated.

"Sorry for the trouble Lady Jill," bowed the butler.

"No, it's fine. I'll be leaving then." Jill waved and headed to the door.

Silence reigned again after the farmer left. But it was not long when Sebastian spoke again.

"Did you replace Ms. Lumira's portrait?" the butler asked.

"No, it's the same. I didn't know what exactly happened, but Ellia was the one who changed it."

"She changed it?" echoed the butler.

"Yes, and she mumbled something," the old woman paused for a moment and touched the cold glass protecting the painting, "She said this is what her mother was trying to hide."

After the butler heard those words, all his doubts about Ellia was erased. She's _definitely _not Alice.

* * *

The cold air invaded Ellia's room as it flowed through the open window. Despite the air's efforts to disturb the black-haired girl, she remained still on the bed, curled under thick layer of blankets. Her mind was busy having a recollection of her memories.

She remembered the time when she was still living in the island with her mother. The island was a sea away from the shore where his father's mansion was located, and from time to time, his father would visit them.

The two of them are the only resident of the isolated land, and at the center of it, a sturdy tower stood mightily that even storms can't destroy it. Built from unknown kind of material stones, it _might_ even remain in one piece even if a tornado hits it. A beautiful garden of flowers surrounding the proud building completed the picturesque island that one can compare with hidden towers in fantasy books.

There are three rooms at the top of the tower, but instead of being aligned horizontally, it was arranged in a vertical manner, making it three different floors. The lowest among the three room resembled a throne room, but this room didn't have any decoration in it, except a throne made of stone and a platform of the same material at the middle of the room. Above the throne room is where the kitchen and the bathroom was located. The topmost floor was a huge bedroom with a single, wide window that revealed the infinite sky.

Ellia spent the first five years of her life in that tower. She was remembering the times she spent with her mother in that prison.

* * *

_A black-haired woman stood in front of the window, letting the gentle wind ran through her straight hair. She was watching the colors that used to be strangers in her eyes. A child, who has the same hue of hair and eyes as the woman, approached her._

_"__Mama, what are you looking at?" the black-haired child looked up and tugged her mother's dress. The child's curls that caresses her cheek fell to her shoulders as she raised her head. The child was the complete replica of the older woman, except that the child possesses beautiful curls._

_"__The world," replied the older woman. _

_"__The world? What is that? How does it look like?" _

_"__It looks different."_

_"__Different?"_

_"__It's different from my world of red and white… and darkness."_

_"__Like your dress?" the child asked innocently as she observed her mother's black dress decorated with white ruffles and red ribbons._

_"__Pfft…" the older woman stifled her laughter and crouched down to level her head with her daughter. "Yes, it looked like my dress."_

_The child stared innocently at her mother._

_"__You're very different from me, do you know that?" the older woman said._

_The child hummed disapprovingly. "I looked exactly like mama. Papa said so."_

_"__Do you know why I named you Ellia?"_

_The child shook her head._

_"__Ellia—it was the first thing that came in my mind right after I gave birth to you. It sounds so different to me, and I gave that name to you because you're so foreign to me; you are someone outside my world and it was like you're not mine at all."_

_"__I don't get it, mama."_

_"__You don't need to understand. When that right time comes, we will both disappear anyway."_

_"__Where will we go?" the child frowned._

_The older woman didn't reply but smiled at her daughter instead._

* * *

Ellia didn't understand it back then, but now she know what her mother meant by the word "disappear." Her mother was already wilted, and soon she will be, too. The black-haired girl straightened herself and removed the covers around her body. She knew night had fallen when she noticed the darkness in the room. She pushed all of her thoughts aside with a heavy sigh and got off the bed.

She walked to the door only to realize that she can't open it. She swung the door handle in every direction, but to no avail. She gasped when she finally understood the situation she was in. The butler's words earlier echoed in her head. _"Whatever it is that we plan to do with you, it will do you no harm."_

Ellia froze in front of the door, unable to think of what to do. It was then that another wave of cold wind trespassed her room. It was harsh enough to make a whistling sound as it twirled angrily around the room. After the wind subsided, the black-haired girl heard a voice behind her.

"It seems like you're locked in, fair lady." From the sound of it, the voice came from a man.

Ellia turned to where the sound came from. It was dark, but she was able to see the owner of the voice that startled her. A silver-haired man with turquoise eyes was smiling at her direction.

* * *

_**Memories contradicted other memories. What will happen to our heroine?**_

_**Anyway, I just want to make it clear to you, my dear readers, that Ellia didn't lose all of her memories.**_

_**So, that's that. Thank you for reading and I hope you're enjoying this story so far.**_

_**Feel free to drop a review. It will be very much appreciated.**_


	14. Red Tales

Ellia shivered—whether it was caused by the coldness around her or by the fear inside her, no one knows. However, since the girl claimed before that she's used to the cold, Skye thought it was caused by fear. The silver-haired man who has just invaded her room walked near the bed and grabbed a cream-colored sheet.

"Here." He handed out while looking directly at the black-haired girl's red eyes. "Cover yourself with it."

Realizing that she's in her chemise, the black-haired girl took it and slipped the sheet over her shoulders, not cutting the connection between their eyes. "I remember you," Ellia said as she leaned closer to the door, "You're the one who brought me to that witch. Are you going to do that again?"

Before the silver-haired man could reply, Ellia spoke again. "Are you guys that curious about my blood that you took it without my consent? And after realizing that you can't use it, you guys just returned it to me like that without telling me who is who, what is what, and which is which," she stated in a quivering voice. "I didn't do anything to receive such torture, but why do I always have to be reminded about _that_?"

The black-haired girl, who was now in tears, slumped on the floor. "If only… William was here. He would know what to do. He would always tell me who I am."

Skye was silent; he did not know the right thing to say, but he decided to tell her how things happened. He walked to the girl and lowered himself to level his head with hers.

"Sorry this had to happen. It was all my fault, but I want you to hear me out first."

The black-haired girl didn't reply, but Skye continued nonetheless.

"You probably don't remember, but I was the one who brought you in this mansion. After I left you here, I found a red gem in my hand. I asked the witch about it, and she said it was your blood."

Ellia twitched and turned her head to the silver-haired man; she was definitely shocked from what she had heard. Despite the girl's reaction, Skye continued his story.

"According to the witch, the gem contained your memories in it, and some of your memories was transferred to me through physical contact with the object."

The black-haired girl's watery eyes widened. She bit her lip and turned her head away, now facing the door.

"The witch told me to bring you to her, but you became unconscious when I carried you to her hut. She let me decide if we should give your memories back to you or not. I guess you know what option I chose. The witch said it will either restore you or crush you. I said I will be responsible for the latter. And here I am now."

Ellia stood and wipe away the remaining tears from her eyes. "Those memories… were dreadful, weren't they?" She faced the man, who also straightened himself as she stood, and smiled sadly, "I should be the one to say sorry. It must be petrifying to be haunted by those. Don't worry. I'll take them now, and you won't remember any of them."

The black-haired girl was about to place her hand on the man's forehead when a knock against the door interrupted her.

"Ellia?" the voice called.

"Lumina," the black-haired girl whispered. Lumina turned the door handle, but she didn't manage to open it. She knocked again and called, but she received no answer, although she was sure that she heard some voices earlier.

Ellia turned around and faced the door again, she was about to answer when Skye covered her mouth and mumbled to her ear, "Let's get you out of here."

In a single second, Skye was already carrying Ellia in his arms. And before the black-haired girl knew it, they were already outside the mansion. She didn't even have the time to react when she realized that they were inside the witch's hut.

"Th-that was," Ellia stammered, totally perplexed.

"The witch is not around. Told me she's going somewhere to solve things. I'm sure you'll be safe here," Skye said as he let the girl stand on her own feet. "Besides, she told me to keep an eye on you."

"Why?" Ellia asked suspiciously.

"Don't ask me. Well, I have to jet. I have an important business tonight. A night of full moon shouldn't be wasted since we don't have it every day," Skye headed to the door, but he faced the girl before he left and said, "Don't worry. I'll be back."

With that, the silver-haired man closed the door and left. Before understanding anything, Ellia immediately reached out and turned the knob. At least she knew she was not locked this time. She leaned her back against the wooden door and sighed in relief.

She studied the room she was currently in. On the opposite side of the room, shelves of books and potions were lined. There was a big cauldron sitting in the middle of the room and a ladder in front of it. She climbed that ladder only to find out that the cauldron was empty. She looked around again and had a better view of the room. It was quite messy, in her opinion, but at least not smelly as she expected.

Her eyes landed on the group of books on the desk at her right. She got down on the ladder and engaged herself in the old books. She picked the books one by one and put them down in place after seeing no titles on it. However, one red book caught her attention. The red book was not thick like the others, and instead of gold linings, it was bordered with white intricate. That was the only book on that desk that has a title written on its cover.

Ellia read the white title aloud as she picked up the book. "Red Tales."

She walked to the bed and sat there. When she opened the book, a black page with white scripts greeted her. She found it odd, since books usually have it the other way round. With the help of the strange elements of the book, she remembered what her mother used to say. _"A world of red and white and darkness…"_

She shook that thought away from her head and poured her attention again on the dark page. A simple sonnet was written on the center of the black page. It read:

"In the place where the warm closes the cold.

Two flowers had a fated encounter.

One is beautiful red of weak power,

The next also red, ancient and untold.

The beautiful red had nowhere to fold,

So the ancient red lifted its thick sheet

And provided a lair for them to fleet

In exchange of a service not foretold.

The ancient is afraid of its hunters

And asked the bright red to keep them from harm.

The indebted red pledge to be protectors

Of the ancient red who reached out their arm.

The vow was sealed through the ancient's great lore,

Which gave the indebted great power than ere."

The black-haired girl had the feeling that she had heard the sonnet before, although she was not very sure when and where. She flipped the page to read more; she though she might solve the book's peculiarities if she'll read further. She was expecting to see more words, but she saw a map drawn in white ink instead.

It was a map of a mountain, as said by the book. At the center of the map (or at the mountaintop), the word "Winterland" was written. The bordered land was relatively small compared to other labeled land surrounding it called "Summerland." That land ringed around the mountaintop. If the actual mountain can be seen, the Summerland probably stood along the mountainsides, surrounding the small Winterland.

Ellia thought that the sonnet might be referring to the two lands on the map—the Winterland as the "cold" and the Summerland "warm." She was curious about the two red flowers so she flipped another page, hoping that she might learn about them on the next paper.

The next page was full of words, much to her delight. She was about to read the white sentences when the door creaked open and the man who left earlier entered the room.

"Hehe. Being chased after by maidens seems to be a curse of mine," Skye mused to himself. He placed the glass bottle he was holding carefully on the floor.

Ellia saw the glass bottle and eyed the label on it. "Okuhattan," she read.

Skye turned his head to her after hearing her remark. That was when he saw the book in her hand.

"That book…" He mumbled, surprise written on his face. "How did you open it?"

Ellia tilted her head to her side slightly. "By doing the usual thing when opening a book."

The silver-haired man sat next to her and asked, "What does it say?"

The black-haired girl went back to the first page and handed the book to the man. "Here."

When Skye hold the book, the words faded and the pages became blank. Both of them gasped—the girl in amusement and the man in surprise.

"That was quite an act. Was that magic?" the girl remarked in awe. She took the book again, and the moment her fingers brushed against the cover, the words reappeared.

Skye was not confused by that odd event. In fact, he was enlightened. Now he completely understood the girl's value and why the witch was desperate to protect her.

"Try to do it again. I never saw magic being unfolded in front of my eyes," Ellia stated happily and handed the closed book to the man again.

"No. I can't open it."

"Hm?"

"It seems like only you can open and read this book."

Ellia frowned as the man returned the book to her. "What do you mean?"

Skye was about to explain it to the girl when a thick smoke escaped from the cauldron and floated above the big pot's mouth.

* * *

_**A/N: ****Er… okay guys. The chemise that was talked about at the beginning of this chapter refers to a classic smock, not the daring one. I think I should let you know before you might think of anything. Anyway... I think you might have guessed what was Skye's business.**_

_**Another important character will soon enter the scene. Things are getting interesting, are they not? No?**_

_**Please drop a review. I do appreciate it.**_

_**Have a good day.**_


	15. HIATUS

A/N: I'm sorry guys, but this won't be a chapter update. I'll remove this after a week.

I just want to inform my readers that I will be on a long hiatus (probably five months) because I'll be entering college tomorrow (and wait, I'm not 18 yet; my country has a different education system). However, I MIGHT have surprise updates depending on how busy my schedule is. I'm really sorry.

I want to thank those people who dropped their reviews and those who added this story in their fave/alert list. Thank you for your support, guys. =)

Don't worry. I'm not planning on giving up this story.


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